Advice about Going to College

[T.A.Stobie_SFO]

Meggie:

As someone who is leaving for college in the fall…I will tell you when I get there how change works for me …really I am excited but the prospect of leaving my friends and Church that I have grown accustomed to is really difficult. The ammount of money involved with going to College frightens me, too.

Meggie’s post is from the Dealing with the Fear of Change thread. I thought it better to open a new thread and allow people to add their thoughts as well as mine.

You are in for significant change to your life. Most Colleges are very different than most high schools. Everything that you do rests on your shoulders. This can be a huge change for many people.

Do your homework before getting there. Research opportunities that you can take advantange of. Planning will make a big difference. Get a map a figure out the local area around the college for yourself.

I would recommend you find the Catholic Center at the College and get involved initially. This will give you the opportunity to meet good Catholic young adults and develop some new friendships. They also tend to offer the Sacraments at regular opportunities.

I would also recommend you check out the local parishes nearby. You may find one real close that does an excellent job, provides frequent opportunities for the sacraments, and a chance to meet some good Catholics who know the locality.

 

[Meggie]

Thank you TA Stobie,

I have planned as well as I think I can…as a homeschooler I am accustomed to having to work to meet my own deadlines. Niagara University is a Catholic school. They have Mass every day for students, and at least for the first semister I can go Daily…

(their statement is that Niagara is a Catholic school but you can be as Catholic or as little Catholic as you wish, but keep the knowledge that they frown on immoral behavior, and people will ask questions if you don’t go to Mass on Sunday)

…the biggest change will be leaving my youth group…this past year I have accomplished so much with them. I am a better student, a better Catholic, a better person because of their encouragement, I am going to college because of all the help and support I got from them. Before I went my faith and school was mediocre…I don’t want to go back to that.